Bushmills The Original

Bushmills The Original

Official bottling 
Single malt - Ulster
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pencil erasers, honey, orange peel, green tea, cucumbers, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, cool, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, pencil erasers, fresh baked bread, orange peel, golden syrup, vanilla, white pepper. 
Finish: Long. Malted grains, golden syrup, vanilla, white pepper, hints of cucumbers. 

Comments: 

The new entry level Bushmills (or new-ish? Not sure). It’s decent - some flinty, malty notes in a sea of sweet stuff. Enjoyable and a session dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Convalmore 38yo 1982/2020

Convalmore 38yo 1982/2020

Prívate Collection, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside 
Pale amber, hints of copper 
54.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, black tea, raisins, camphor, dark chocolate, greengages, orange peel. With water, cream, magic marker, pear drops, greengages. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, camphor, leather, raisins, honey, dark chocolate, orange peel, magic marker. With water, dark chocolate, leather, greengages, honey. 
Finish: Long. Magic marker, dark chocolate, white grapes, greengages. 

Comments: 

Old whisky but not the old bottle effect! Sweet and creamy, but with a slightly bitter undertone of camphor and black tea. A lovely pleasure to drink.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Convalmore 28yo 1977/2005 (2005 Special Releases)

Convalmore 28yo 1977/2005 (2005 Special Releases)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside 
Pale amber
57.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Mint, leather, black tea, fresh cut grass, white grapes, black pepper, ginger, hints of vanilla. With water, leather, white grapes, mint. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, jasmine, ginger, camphor, black pepper, raisins, orange peel, hints of white grapes. With water, greengages, white grapes, fresh cut grass, leather. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, black pepper, ginger, white grapes, hints of leather. 

Comments: 

Sweet and herbal, very complex and fruity. It opens up a lot with water, but the layers are quite hard to discern dril each other. It takes time to enjoy this whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenury Royal 22yo 1984/2006

Glenury Royal 22yo 1984/2006

Rarest of the Rare, Duncan Taylor
Single malt - East Highlands
Pale gold
50.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, roast chicken, barley sugar, fresh baked bread, sea salt, apples, chalk, soy sauce. With water, pears, lemon zest, white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. White grapes, apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, fresh baked bread, chalk, hints of lemon zest. With water, lemon zest, white grapes, pears, hints of lavender. 
Finish: Medium. Lemon zest, white grapes, barley sugar, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Cask 3046. Floral and light, with a little bit of old bottle effect, this Josh is spectacular. Lots of underlying, slightly feinty and sulphurous notes, but these are gentle and complement the floral fruit. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenlochy 31yo 1980/2011

Glenlochy 31yo 1980/2011

Cask Strength Collection, Signatory
Single malt - Western Highlands
Golden
57.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Roast pork, white grapes, rhubarb and custard sweets, magic marker, fresh baked bread, nutmeg. With water, peaches, magic marker, pears, nutmeg. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. White grapes, leather, peaches, nutmeg, cloves, roast pork, chalk, hints of smoke. With water, leather, white grapes, cloves, violets. 
Finish: Medium. White grapes, leather, white pepper, nutmeg. 

Comments: 

Cask 2825. Extremely complex and layered whisky. There’s plenty of everything for everyone. It’s mostly floral, but not the pungent florality of ginger or turmeric, instead it’s gentle flowers and perhaps some acetone-like notes. Lovely. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenlochy 24yo 1980/2005

Glenlochy 24yo 1980/2005

Rarest of the Rare, Duncan Taylor 
Single malt - Western Highlands
Copper gold 
61.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: White chocolate, white pepper, galangal, leather, roast pork, lemon zest, magic marker, sea salt. With water, magic marker, fresh baked bread, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, hot, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. White grapes, nectarines, galangal, white pepper, vanilla, fresh baked bread, magic marker. With water, fresh baked bread, vanilla, nectarines, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Long. White pepper, leather, white chocolate, nectarines, hints of roast pork. 

Comments: 

A meaty herbal, sweet and fruity Glenlochy. Very complex, it needs time to open up, nearly 30 minutes, to develop to its full range of flavours. Lots of floral notes as well, plenty of galangal.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Dallas Dhu 32yo 1975/2007

Dallas Dhu 32yo 1975/2007

Cask Strength Collection, Signatory
Single malt - Speyside 
Pale gold
47.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Rhubarb and custard sweets, soor ploom sweets, toffee, honey, vanilla, green apples, lime zest. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Soor ploom sweets, leather, celery salt, toffee, honey, lime zest, lemon curd, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Long. Peat, leather, lime zest, cinnamon, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Very sweet and tangy whisky, but with a dark smoky edge. The smoke is very faint, and only really appears on the finish. Plenty of bright sweet notes that I did not expect in a whisky that’s been in the bottle a while.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

SMWS 59.48 (Teaninich 30yo 1983/2013)

SMWS 59.48 (Teaninich 30yo 1983/2013)

2013, SMWS
Single malt - North Highlands
Amber, hints of gold
51.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, photocopy paper, pineapples, green tea, sandalwood, hints of pear drops. With water, magic marker, pineapples, photocopy paper. 

Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, oily, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Green tea, malted grains, yoghurt, white pepper, sandalwood, peaches, hints of wet stones. With water, smoke, leather, pineapples, green tea. 
Finish: Long. Wet stones, yoghurt, fresh baked bread, peaches, hints of green tea. 

Comments: 

Complex and minerally, this whisky still tastes bright and vibrant despite its age. Plenty of tannic, feinty notes dominate some mild fruit and spice. Very good indeed, excellent old highland whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Teaninich 1975 (bottled 1989)

Teaninich 1975 (bottled 1989)

Connoisseurs Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - North Highlands
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black tea, leather, sultanas, pineapples, honey, clay dust, peaches, sandalwood, hints of roast beef. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, expands, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Leather, black tea, camphor, Chinese angelica, honey, sultanas, peaches, hints of golden syrup. 
Finish: Long. Camphor, honey, peaches, leather, hints of sandalwood. 

Comments: 

Sweet and meaty, lots of tropical fruit notes, but it’s buried under a lot of old bottle effect. It turns the whisky herbal and savoury. Normally I would really enjoy that effect, but I think in this case, it’s obscured some of the more interesting flavours.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Millburn 18yo 1977/1996

Millburn 18yo 1977/1996

Cooper’s Choice, Vintage Malt Whisky Co
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, leather, cinder toffee, applesauce, papayas, lemon zest, Chinese angelica, hints of candied oranges. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, slippery, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Lemon zest, applesauce, leather, honey, cinder toffee, passionfruit, hints of papayas, hints of charcoal ash. 
Finish: Medium. Charcoal ash, cinder toffee, leather, passionfruit, hints of papayas. 

Comments: 

Well, this Millburn is much less smoke-forward than some others, instead there’s a faint ashy flavour, underneath all that fruit. It’s very gentle and mild.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Millburn 1972 (bottled 1995)

Millburn 1972 (bottled 1995)

Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside 
Golden yellow 
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, papayas, honey, pineapples, cinder toffee, lemon zest, sea salt, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, warm, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Leather, tarry rope, smoke, celery salt, toffee, lemon zest, papayas, honey, marmalade, hints of Chinese angelica. 
Finish: Medium. Leather, celery salt, cinder toffee, smoke. 

Comments: 

Smoky, complex and enhanced with heaps of old bottle effect. It’s almost like licking a slab of peat and breathing in smoke. Lots of underlying sweet savoury notes too. Lovely stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Nantou Omar Orange Brandy Barrel Finished

Nantou Omar Orange Brandy Barrel Finished

Official bottling 
Single malt - Central Taiwan
Pale orange 
55% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, lemon zest, malted grains, hoppy beer, manuka honey, white pepper, hints of peaches. With water, manuka honey, orange peel, lemon zest, fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, thickens, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Orange peel, manuka honey, fresh baked bread, ink, magic marker, malted grains, white pepper, hints of peaches. With water, malted grains, ink, fresh baked bread, oatcakes. 
Finish: Medium. Orange peel, ink, malted grains, white pepper, hints of marmalade. 

Comments: 

My last sample of Omar quirky finishes. This isn’t as orangey as you might think, instead there’s a complex honeyed sweetness, and a slightly chemical estery undertone. Drinkable and pleasant.

Verdict:

I like this.

Eddu Silver

Eddu Silver 

Official bottling 

Single grain - Brittany 
Buttercups 
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon sweets, vitamin C tablets, lemon sherbet, makrut lime leaf, fresh cut grass, hints of basil. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, tingly, turns syrupy. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Vitamin C tablets, makrut lime leaf, fresh cut grass, pomeloes, orange juice, brass polish, hints of lemon sherbet. 
Finish: Long. Basil, brass polish, vitamin C tablets, white pepper, hints of pomeloes. 

Comments: 

Quite herbal and citrusy, lots of chalky, slightly feinty notes. It’s like biting into one of those fizzy vitamin C tablets. Nice long herbal finish too.

Verdict:

I like this.

Stork Club Straight Rye Whiskey

Stork Club Straight Rye Whiskey

Official bottling
Single rye - Brandenburg
Bright gold
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, sea salt, leather, camphor, black tea, black pepper, hints of roast pork. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Camphor, black tea, raisins, cough syrup, corn syrup, honey, cloves. 
Finish: Short. Raisins, blackcurrant cordial, cough syrup, black pepper. 

Comments: 

I’ve had the higher ABV version, and it was far better. This one is a little thin, light mouthfeel, less sweet but with the herbal notes intact. In fact it now tastes slightly medicinal, and not like its higher strength brother.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenglassaugh 25yo 1984/2009

Glenglassaugh 25yo 1984/2009

Old Malt Cask, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber orange
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Damson jam, black tea, candied oranges, cocoa nibs, milk chocolate, hay, honey, hints of toffee. With water, milk chocolate, butterscotch, hay, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Damson jam, black tea, raspberry jam, candied oranges, maraschino cherries, pencil erasers, cloves, hints of milk chocolate. With water, black tea, honey, maraschino cherries, butterscotch. 
Finish: Long. Candied oranges, milk chocolate, maraschino cherries, hay, cloves. 

Comments: 

Lovely old classic mid-80s sherried Speyside. Some feinty flinty notes marry well with fruit and jam and chocolate. I enjoyed this, it’s not often anymore I can get hold of these OMC bottles. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Cradle Mountain from the Small Concern distillery 24yo 1996/2021

Cradle Mountain from the Small Concern distillery 24yo 1996/2021

Individual Cask, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Tasmania
Dark amber gold
52.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, cocoa powder, dark chocolate, toffee, aluminium foil, black tea, hints of red grapes. With water, red grapes. With water, red grapes, bananas, cream, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, hot, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peanut butter, dark chocolate, vanilla cream, milk powder, red grapes, cocoa powder, hints of strawberry jam. With water, dark chocolate, black tea, milk powder, hints of peanut butter. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, toffee, strawberry jam, peanut butter, cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Cradle Mountain in a Cabernet Sauvignon cask! It’s got the classic peanut butter notes that I found in other releases from this distillery, but the wine cask finish is perhaps less helpful than it could be. Lots of sweet jammy chocolate notes, that obscure all that lovely peanut butter.

Verdict:

I like this.

Slyrs 3yo Batch 3

Slyrs 3yo Batch 3

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Bavaria
Amber, hints of green 
52.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon sweets, wet stones, sandalwood, pencil led, lemon zest, malted grains, hints of hoppy beer. With water, vanilla custard, lemon sweets, brown paper, pencil lead. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, oily, slightly sticky. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, damson jam, vanilla custard, wet stones, candied oranges, sandalwood, pencil lead. With water, lemon zest, lemon sweets, vanilla custard, pencil lead. 
Finish: Long. Vanilla custard, white pepper, lemon zest, candied oranges. 

Comments: 

Gorgeously flinty and mineral, this whisky is complex and sweet. There is plenty of citrus and jam notes, which works well with the thick oily mouthfeel. It all builds to a long sweet, spicy finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Coppersea Rye Cask Sample

Coppersea Rye Cask Sample

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single rye - New York 
Amber red
50.89% ABV
Dram

Nose: Nectarines, red grapes, raisins, mace, nutmeg, black pepper, brown paper, hints of sultanas. With water, magic marker, red grapes, sultanas, cinnamon, hints of cloves. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Nectarines, peaches, white grapes, green tea, brown paper, sultanas, sandalwood. With water, peaches, malted grains, sultanas, cinnamon. 
Finish: Medium. Chinese angelica, nutmeg, red grapes, raisins, green tea. 

Comments: 

An interesting rye, sweet, fruity, but not quite spicy. Instead, it’s almost herbal, lots of woody, tannic, grassy notes. Some rye spice makes an appearance with a bit of water. Very tasty indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Albany Rye Cask Sample

Albany Rye Cask Sample

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt 
Single rye - New York 
Amber
56.64% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, yoghurt, cream, milk chocolate, pears, nectarines, hints of cinnamon. With water, milk chocolate, marshmallows, vanilla, nectarines. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, warm, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Peaches, cinnamon, strawberry laces, nectarines, pears, milk chocolate, cream, hints of raisins. With water, peaches, marshmallows, raisins, cream. 
Finish: Medium. Cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, pears, hints of peaches. 

Comments: 

Not the Albany distillery in Australia, but the one in New York. The whisky is creamy and fruity, and very ‘soft’ despite the high ABV. Spicy rye notes only really appear on the finish. Quite lovely. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Dufftown 10yo Batch 2

Dufftown 10yo Batch 2

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Speyside
Pale straw
47.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, tangerines, marshmallows, pear drops, vanilla, lemon curd, hints of mace. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, tingly, loosens. 
Tasting: Sour. Lemon curd, tangerines, malted grains, pear drops, vanilla, honey, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Short. Mace, cinnamon, pear drops, green apples, tangerines. 

Comments: 

Tart and citrusy, this whisky is a fruity, slightly spicy Speyside specimen! It lacks a little body perhaps, but the flavours are very good. Lots of fragrance, both on the nose and the finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

The Circle Limited Edition Release 2

The Circle Limited Edition Release 2

Compass Box
Blended malt
Copper gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, lemon zest, marshmallows, marmalade, strawberry jam, hints of hoppy beer. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Sandalwood, marmalade, hoppy beer, orange peel, candied ginger, cinnamon, hints of black tea. 
Finish: Long. Marmalade, candied ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, hints of cloves. 

Comments: 

A perfect blend from Compass Box. Citrusy, spicy and a little bit tannic, very complex whisky. Utterly lovely. It’s mostly Glen Elgin, Speyburn and Teaninich, with a smattering of malt from Linkwood, Ardmore and some pre-blended scotch.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Cameronbridge 40yo 1982/2022

Cameronbridge 40yo 1982/2022

Whisky Broker
Single grain - Lowlands
Bright gold 
50.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, white pepper, mace, corn syrup, honey, tangerines, hints of toffee. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, tingly, syrupy. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Vanilla, oatcakes, chocolate, corn syrup, mace, greengages, hints of tangerines, hints of white grapes. 
Finish: Short. Greengages, oatcakes, corn syrup, mace, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Excellent, well aged old grain. Very good and pleasant mouth feel, thick and luscious, with a lot of citrus and oats. It’s almost malty. Very enjoyable dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Morris Signature Single Malt

Morris Signature Single Malt

Official bottling 
Single malt - Victoria
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, dark chocolate, angelica root, sea salt, raisins, hints of toffee apples. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, cool, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Dark chocolate, leather, tyre rubber, black pepper, raisins, cloves, hints of toffee apples. 
Finish: Medium. Black pepper, dark chocolate, tyre rubber, cloves, hints of angelica root. 

Comments: 

Quite a decent malt, lots of sweet herbal notes, with a savoury undertone. On the tongue it’s quite chocolate-forward, with some bitter angelica. Quite impressive for an entry-level malt.

Verdict:

I like this.

Scapa 15yo 2005/2020

Scapa 15yo 2005/2020

Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Islands
Dark gold
55.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green apples, sandalwood, honey, leather, sea salt, smoke, hints of white pepper. With water, green apples, smoke, white pepper, leather. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Green apples, leather, peat, sea salt, white pepper, damson jam, hints of smoke. With water, damson jam, green apples, malted grains, leather. 
Finish: Medium. White pepper, green apples, honey, damson jam, sea salt. 

Comments: 

A very leathery, tart and more-ish Scapa. Not very saline or island-like, instead it’s soft and fruity and gentle. Some traces of spicy notes on the finish, but all very enjoyable.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.